Botanical/commercial classification: Spiraea japonica/Japanese Spirea.
Varietal denomination: cv. xe2x80x98Lemondropxe2x80x99.
This Application is a Continuation of application Ser. No. 09/874,299, filed Jun. 6, 2001 (now abandoned).
The new Spiraea japonica plant of the present invention was discovered during July, 1998 at Holly Hill Farms, Earlville, Md., U.S.A., while growing among plants of the xe2x80x98Little Princessxe2x80x99 variety (non-patented in the United States). Such plant is believed to be a whole plant mutation of unknown causation of the xe2x80x98Little Princessxe2x80x99 variety. The new plant has been carefully preserved and studied in view of its distinctive combination of characteristics. Had the new variety of the present invention not been discovered and preserved, it would have been lost to mankind.
It was found that the new Spiraea japonica plant of the present invention displays the following combination of characteristics:
(a) exhibits a dwarf mounding growth habit,
(b) forms attractive mauve-pink blooms, and
(c) forms yellow-green foliage that is more yellow when grown in full sun.
The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry and is particularly well suited for use as a border planting, foundation planting, or mass planting. It also can be grown to advantage in rock gardens.
Good winter hardiness has been displayed when plants were grown during the winter above ground in containers at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A., and in the ground at Earlville, Md., U.S.A.
Plants of the new variety can be readily distinguished from those of the xe2x80x98Little Princessxe2x80x99 variety (non-patented in the United States). More specifically, the new variety displays a dwarf stature unlike the xe2x80x98Little Princessxe2x80x99 variety, displays mauve-pink blooms unlike the pink blooms of the xe2x80x98Little Princessxe2x80x99 variety, and displays bright yellow-green foliage that is more yellow in full sun unlike the green foliage of the xe2x80x98Little Princessxe2x80x99 variety.
The rooting of cuttings has been used to asexually propagate the new variety at Earlville, Md., U.S.A., and at West Grove, Pa., U.S.A. It has been found that the characteristics of the new variety are stable and are reliably transmitted from one generation to another.
The new variety has been named xe2x80x98Lemondropxe2x80x99.